And here are all of my reviews for this year. Unfortunately, once again, I did not manage to get them all. I only missed 2 stories (and my own because you're not supposed to review those), but I'm definitely going to work extra hard next year to finally get them all done.
Fanfiction: A Glider's Long DayI rate it: 7,5/10Because: Character driven stories, especially those that explore the backstory of the said character are among my favorite type of stories to tell. Since there are still many characters within the Land Before Time franchise that have not received as much attention as the main characters, it is wonderful to see that there are others who partake in the same activity as I do. Guido is one of those underutilized characters that has quickly made their way into our heart and it frustrates me that the film or the television series never expanded on this plot point more.
The scenes with Guido’s parents were necessary to establish at least some form of legitimate backstory for the glider. It was interesting to see that Guido behaved no differently here than with the gang in the film, as that explains that his characteristics later on were genuine on his part and not forced. The author constructed this scene almost perfectly, but it lacked the ambitiousness evident in the creator.
The suspense would come in the next part and that was without a doubt the most vivacious moment in the entire story. The faster pace clearly overtook the slower pace in the first half and made this moment all the more entertaining. The conclusion was already familiar to us from the film, but even then the author brought up something new in it; to see it happen from another perspective. There’s a very high change that we could eventually see continuation for this story as Guido’s journey has only just begun and I don’t feel his entire story has been told yet.
Fanfiction: A Friendship Born of Fear and CourageI rate it:
7,5/10
Because: I’d like to open up this review with quick few words. First, the author did a fantastic job of fleshing out the backstories of both Ruby and Chomper with this one and I really enjoyed watching how their friendship blossomed. They did not start out as the best of friends or even as friends at all, but rather necessary allies to one another. As I said in my feedback, friendships are formed even if the future looks bleak, and that was definitely what these characters had to go through in this story. I think many people would be more attracted to the action in these type of stories rather than characters themselves, but to me they were the main appeal here.
I think not many of us expected that Ruby and Chomper’s friendship would begin with a rather rocky start, and to me this was perhaps the most difficult section to read through. Not in a sense that it was poorly written, but the way the scene was built that it evoked this kind of feeling in the reader in the first place. It certainly took me by surprise when they were not all buddy buddy with each other at the start as one might expect. This is what I’d call good character development. The author brought out the best and worst in both of them, although I would have liked to see the strife go into greater detail.
When it came down to the main antagonistic force in the story I was left feeling a bit let down by the conclusion. Throughout the later parts it felt like they had been presented as an immovable object, but were in fact not utilized properly. If two children end up winning the day by sheer luck on their side against a more experienced adversary, it does leave the reader somewhat disappointed in the end. But considering that the villain behind the scenes (Stealth) was responsible for this attempt, we can conclude that he’s desperate enough to employ even the most dimwitted sharpteeth to do his dirty work.
Fanfiction: Separate WaysI rate it: 8/10Because: Last of Sovereign’s fics in this year’s awards. I must say that it was increasingly difficult to find the right words that fit into this review, as I’ve mostly already said them all in more ways than one. It certainly has been quite the exhilarating journey put together that I find myself questioning on how to best describe it. If there are few things that come to mind, it’s that this story certainly knew how and when to throw a curveball in the audience’s face at the right time.
But like all things, all good things must come to an end at some point. I was really happy to see that the story got the satisfying conclusion the fans had been awaiting for. Like all stories, it had its ups and downs, but I really feel like the good outweighed the bad in the end. While this chapter of the gang’s lives has been brought to an end, I feel like there’s much potential for a possible sequel as it left the story a bit open. Here’s to hoping we will one day see a possible next installment, but for now, it is a good time to close this story.
Fanfiction: Weathered GorgeI rate it: 7,5/10Because: This story had a very promising start. While the premise was not exactly new to the world of fanfiction, it managed to separate itself from the rest by creating a legitimate universe in which it took place. Many times I’ve mentioned that I’m a sucker for character backstories in particular, but there was something special about this one that completely blew my mind. Petrie’s father hasn’t obviously ever appeared in the series, nor has he been mentioned once and that already presents a rather intriguing premise.
If there was something I found lacking in the story, even if it may seem unnecessary, naming secondary characters brings more liveliness into the narrative and helps the reader connect to them more. The shift between past and present became slightly harder to interpret once the story moved on, but nothing that warranted reform. My advice to this would be to separate these two things a bit more clearly in the future. But the good things certainly made up for the few bad ones in the end. For one, I must applaud the author for making the dialogue particularly fluent.
That said, there were some things I would like to speak about. Most of all, I’d like to point out that some of the events in the story, mainly the sudden alteration of the weather, didn’t seem entirely natural and felt more like they were forced onto the reader. Now, you could say that this would work in this case, because the Weathered Gorge was anything but natural, but it still felt little outlandish to me. Ultimately, I believe this story completed its purpose, because by the end of it, all the characters had learned something very important. It would have been silly to have them go on this grand adventure and not have them learn anything from it.
Fanfiction: Snowballed LiesI rate it: 9/10Because: This story certainly surpassed my expectations and in my opinion is one of the best, if not the best short story we got this year. Everyone who has read the author’s past stories know that he is a guy that likes to rely heavily on the narrative. Some would say perhaps too heavily, but in my opinion it’s one of those traits that makes him unique and interesting to follow. He can go on and on about even the most minor detail in a way that makes you want to read more. I’d say this is one of his strongest qualities as a writer and not something you see every day. These type of stories have their own set of ups and downs that are usually resolved by the end of it. However, not all stories end up with a happy ending for the protagonist, and this was certainly one of those stories.
All of the events present in this story continue to only grow and weigh down on Mr. Thicknose until it finally is just too much for one person to bear alone. Once it all starts to crumble, you can’t help but feel sorry for him. He invested much of his life to the dedication of knowledge, and within short amount of time even that is eventually taken away from him, leaving him to become an empty shell of his former, lively self. This raises the following question that I’d like all of us to think for a moment; does he deserve to feel humiliated and alone in the cold world? If your answer is no, then you’ve certainly been paying close attention.
Sadly, Mr. Thicknose did possess enough willpower to push through, and because of that is forever lost. At the end of the story, his death has already affected everyone around him and the Great Valley will never be the same again. The events in this story could have been prevented with right choices, but what would the story then be about? If there’s anything I can criticize about the story, it would be the length. Obviously, not everyone will agree with me here, but the way I see it, it would have been better had the author separated the story into chapters. Since there was a lot of information for the reader to take in all at once, it would’ve perhaps even worked in the author’s favor in the end, to give the reader bit of respite and consider all the plot points before moving to the next one.
Fanfiction: Panicky Plumet PredicamentI rate it: 7,5/10Because: I can say one thing about this story that’s certain; you will crack a smile at least one these jokes that the author decided to add in. I personally had a very hard time keeping a straight face. Guido is not often the first pick when it comes down to character selection, but the author in particular doesn’t shy away from using this adorable glider whenever he can. It is most impressive that he managed to get this story together in just five days, and I’m not saying that to belittle his success. Even very short stories can often take quite a lot of time out of your day, and I believe the author deserves a round of applause for this accomplishment.
The idea in this story was already hinted at in one of the television series episodes, but I don’t think I’ve seen a fanfiction story where it was explored, at least not quite like this. The author took a simple idea that was already established and turned it into a fantastic piece of fiction. However, there were some things I found to be lacking. I was more than little confused that Guido had no prior knowledge of Ruby or Chomper and that they were currently residing in the Great Valley. The reason for this was never truly explained to the reader, which is little weird to say the least. The first person perspective was very good, though I was little disappointed that this story offered little to no suspense. Easy way to make this happen would have been to place Guido in a tricky situation and have him find a way out of it.
Fanfiction: The Tragic CycleI rate it: 8,5/10Because: This was definitely one of the more ambitious stories this year and it peaked my interest almost immediately. Ever since Petrie’s debut in the original movie, I’ve wanted to see what his life before meeting the gang was like, and here we have a pretty good inspiration for an origin story. I found it curious that like Spike, his story wasn’t really fleshed out in the film at all and because of that I believe many didn’t find him to be a very interesting character until later on. I would have loved to see Rantyl be used more in the story, but I understand that his fate was paramount in order to move the story forward. While he was around for a very short amount of time, I felt myself connect with his character. However, I wish the author would have come up with another way to remove him from the story than to have him die at the hands of sharpteeth as that’s really not original and left an underwhelming impression lingering in the air.
Moving on, the following chapters, while shorter, were actually among my favorites. Cerusa is obviously trying to do everything in her power to keep her children safe from all harm all the while having to deal with the tragedy of her mate’s death. The loss of their father is equally unpleasant for all of them, but that doesn’t stop them from having a bit of fun as children ought to. Despite Petrie’s status as the runt of the litter, he is starting to slowly form into the flyer we know from the film. While Cerusa may not be entirely comfortable with the idea of her children having to view their uncle Pterano as some sort of a substitute father, it is good for them to have someone to look up to. Especially Petrie’s bond with his uncle has made things little more flexible for the whole family.
If there’s one thing this story does very well, it’s that there doesn’t seem to be a moment wasted. Petrie’s early life has been anything but pleasant, but there will come a time when his luck will turn around. At the same time, Cerusa is not really helping her son to cope with his feelings by making him feel worthless. Even if that wasn’t her intention (which should be obvious as she’s his mother and cares for him a great deal), some of the things she’s said should have been left unsaid. There will be many more problems for young Petrie in store as we wait for things to kick off in the following chapters.
Fanfiction: A Glimpse BeyondI rate it: 8/10Because: I quite liked this story. While the premise isn’t exactly anything new, there’s just something special in a way the author created this story in the first place. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the best way I can try to explain it is that the author certainly didn’t miss her chance of having a bit of fun with the story and the way readers might interpret it. It is obvious that we as the audience know a lot more about the hidden factors in play than the actual characters do, but that doesn’t stop them from trying to figure it all out. I especially love the way the author can play with the reader’s mind and even make them anticipate or predict the characters’ actions or thoughts by pure guesswork.
The feeling of the unknown became even stronger as the story moved on from Littlefoot’s inner battle with his emotions to the sudden appearance of his deceased mother. I said in my initial review that this scene forced me to consider some aspects of the story I had not previously even thought about. Later on I asked myself why now of all times did I start to ask these questions? Was it something in the story that made me doubtful of my own views or words, or did it perhaps stem from something else entirely? This fact is yet again reinforced in the conclusion as it once again forces the reader into an almost uncomfortable position when trying to figure out the story at the point of it all. This may sound like I’m trash talking the story, but in reality I am not. All of these events in the story have just kickstarted my detective instincts. This is something that has never happened to me before and it honestly boggles my mind that it is happening now.
Fanfiction: Hidden NeedsI rate it: 8,5/10Because: This will be the last fanfic review this year from me. This was yet another story with a fairly exciting and new premise in the world of fanfiction. The initial scene had a very important job to set up the things to come and the execution of this was handled well. There were not any major issues that I could spot. Although the reader might be already partially aware of the upcoming events, it is not so black and white as one might think. As we might have expected, once Petrie’s secret is laid to bare, the others don’t react so well. But here’s where it gets interesting, because all of them have different reactions fitting of their character. Littlefoot still sees Petrie as the same flyer that he’s always been. Spike reacts with fear upon this revelation. Chomper is trying to make sense of it all. Ducky and Ruby’s indifference to the entire thing as if it didn’t matter one bit to either of them. However, Cera’s was perhaps the most intriguing. While the threehorn reacts in anger, it is not directed at the flyer, but rather at the secret he tried to hide for so long from his closest friends. I can easily see that they’d be hurt by this.
Always true to their nature, the gang come together to ensure Petrie’s mother that it doesn’t matter to them if Petrie has to consume meat in order to survive as their kind’s nature demands. I don’t believe this action surprised anyone, but the way they ultimately made it work might have. The little backstory segment provided the very reason why Volant feels like hiding their true nature is the best course of action, as she doesn’t wish her family to be exiled from the Great Valley if someone were to see them in action. This story certainly kicked off with an amazing start. However, I did not expect that this supposed one-shot would be getting another chapter soon after. I must admit that I was slightly disappointed that there was not a large confrontation that emerged in the wake of the news about Petrie’s family. I’m a sucker for drama and it certainly would have made things more interesting in the long term, but ultimately I feel like this story ended on a very good note.
